1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to a matter containment system for use in combination with an underground storage tank. More particularly, the present invention relates to a secondary spillage containment system or kit for outfitting an underground storage tank assembly having primary spillage containment.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Those experienced with underground storage tanks and the maintenance thereof must often address the fact that many of the underground storage tanks suffer from aged, deteriorated, and contaminated fill locations. The effects of petroleum products entering, and contaminating ground water from spills, and leaks is well documented and there is a great deal of documentation detailing the negative effects of contaminated ground water. Obviously, if a leak or spill can be prevented the environment will benefit. In an effort to protect the environment from leaks and spills of the type here noted the United States Congress enacted the Underground Storage Compliance At of 2003. The Act attempts to regulate the use of underground storage tanks and thus attempts to foster improvements to underground storage tank systems to minimize spillage and soil contamination.
In addition to federal law(s), many local and state laws have also been written to regulate the use of underground storage tank systems. Often, however, the conditions surrounding the underground storage tanks are in violation of any number of local, state, and/or federal laws. In this regard, it is noted that all current fill locations at underground storage tanks must have an overspill (OS) device capable of holding at least 5 gallons of liquid. This device is practical and is used for a collection vessel upon the draining hoses after a fill delivery is made. The OS device has a small opening at the top of the device approximately 9 to 10 inches in diameter, which opening allows access to the fill riser pipe that is connected to the tank top and is used as the port for liquid delivery. The existing overspill or OS devices are designed to be water tight at installation and most contain a drain port allowing drainage of the device through said port to the fill riser pipe. The overspill device is typically accessible by opening a manhole lid at the grade of the concrete drive and is designed to act as a spill catch for fuel delivery drivers draining the delivery hose from the delivery truck after dropping/delivering a load of product. This mandatory OS device has proven effective and has contained a great deal of spillage, there being on the order of 700,000 active underground storage tanks in the United States.
As time has gone by many of the OS devices have started to show wear and attendant contamination. Indeed, it is rare to find a fill location that has no contamination present. Existing OS devices thus, do not come close to offering a complete solution to the spillage, leakage, and contamination problems that still exist at underground storage tanks. A number of means for secondarily containing spillage adjacent underground storage tanks has arisen. Indeed, all underground storage tank components (including tanks, product piping, dispensers, and pumps) of the underground tank system that hold, or transfer liquids must also be secondarily contained (except for the most spill prone, used, overlooked, component the OS location, namely, the fill port).
The underground storage tank assembly typically has an outer containment tank with monitoring capability as achieved by a sensor installed at the interstitial space between the walls of said tank. The pumping devices are located on the top of the underground storage tank and have a secondary containment sump that acts as a collection device for liquids in case of a leak. The sump is also usually monitored by a sensor. The piping from the pump/suction device at the tank top sump is secondarily contained by the primary piping being surrounded by a larger diameter pipe from the tank top sump to the dispensing location. The dispensing location (pump or dispenser) also typically has a sump located beneath the dispensing device. The dispenser/pump sump is monitored via a sensor. All of the major components that contain and hold fuel at an underground storage tank system are thus secondarily contained and have the capability of being monitored at the tank monitoring systems. Almost all underground storage tank systems have a tank monitoring system that, when in alarm status, will give an audible warning and a print out of the alarm condition.
Perhaps the most used, spill prone, and volatile point of an underground storage tank is the fill port. It then follows that the most used, spill prone, and volatile port of the underground storage tank system should be secondarily contained. As earlier noted, there are approximately 700,000 active underground storage tanks in the United States, and the amount of spillage at and around the existing OS locations of these 700,000 underground storage tanks on a daily basis is often not reported and/or cleaned. It then follows that a great deal of petroleum product enters and contaminates groundwater supplies. Clearly secondary containment of the fill port location of underground storage tanks is useful, if not essential.
Current methods of containing spillage at the fill location of underground storage tanks by an overspill device are lacking in certain respects. The most notable problems may be listed, as follows: 1) a relatively small 9–10 inch opening at the top of the OS device (the small opening does not allow much room for delivery error or missed spillage. 2) Upon completion of installation of an OS device, and after a period of time, a build up of debris/silt forms a dam between the skirt material of the manhole and the OS device allowing water infiltration and build up of debris/silt surrounding the OS device. 3) The water/silt build up also damages the lid assembly and components of the OS device (making the initial water tight capability obsolete, and thus allowing debris, silt, or water to infiltrate the OS device, thus damaging the drain device of the OS device, and thus the probability of the water, silt, and debris infiltrating the UG storage tank. 4) The area outside of the OS device is a release point to the environment (soil, groundwater). When a spill occurs outside of the small opening at the OS device the spill is a release into the environment. Spillage of even the smallest amounts will build up over the lifetime of the underground storage tank system and will create certain far-reaching environmental problems. 5) Most currently used OS devices do not have means for containing, monitoring, or receiving notification of spillage or water infiltration with the use of the OS device. 6) When liquid spillage occurs outside of the OS device, the tank owner is held liable, and in most cases will not otherwise be advised of the spillage.
It is noted that while the prior art attempting to address secondary containment of underground fill/overfill area is somewhat well-developed, it is further noted that the most spill-prone area of the underground storage tank system (namely, the fill, overspill area) frequently does not benefit from secondary containment for various reasons. The prior art thus perceives a need for a secondary containment system, easily installable and effective to prevent misdirected, otherwise uncontained spillage adjacent typical underground storage tank systems. A listing of certain relatively ineffective prior art specifically relating to secondary spillage containment systems and the like, is briefly described, hereinafter.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,655,361 ('361 patent), which issued to Clover et al., discloses a Containment Tank. The '361 patent teaches a secondary containment tank and manhole cover assembly. The assembly provides access to a fill pipe for a main underground storage tank and prevent overflow of excess volatile liquid such as gasoline into the ground. The containment tank includes an upper ring or rim secured on an in-ground vertical skirt supported in a concrete base. An inner container is secured to the vertical skirt and has an open end adjacent to the upper ring. The cover fits into and is supported on a horizontal flange or step of the upper ring over the opening of the inner container and includes a vertical ring extending downwardly from the underside of the cover into a space between the inner container and vertical skirt. The vertical ring on the cover extends below the level of the container opening and thus bypasses any surface water leakage through the upper ring around the cover into the space adjacent to the container and into the ground below. The upper containment tank also includes means such as a manually operable sump pump or drain valve to empty excess liquid into the fill pipe of the main storage tank.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,706,718 ('718 patent), which issued to Milo, discloses a Containment Manhole having Spillage Sealing Means. The '718 patent teaches a containment manhole comprising a hollow body having a closed bottom and an open top. A concentric opening is provided in the bottom to receive an underground tank fill therethrough and a circular, resilient seal is provided to seal the junction between the tank fill and the manhole bottom. Optionally, a drain valve may be provided in the manhole bottom to lead any spillage directly back to the tank fill. The manhole terminates upwardly in the machined ring and includes a gasketed junction with the ring. The ring includes an upper shoulder upon which the cover peripheral lip can rest and a lower shoulder of size to enable the cover peripheral edges to rest. An O-ring seal is provided intermediate the cover and the top ring to provide a first sealed junction and a circular gasket is affixed on the lower ring edge to provide a second seal when the cover is in position.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,717,036 ('036 patent), which issued to Dundas et al., discloses a Liquid Tank Spillage Control System. The '036 patent teaches a spill control device for underground liquid storage tanks having an upwardly extending fill pipe. The control device comprises a steel, epoxy coated, and liquid collecting spill tank having a riser tube that extends upward through the tank bottom. A circular seal ring fits about the upper end of the riser tube and about the outer wall of a fill pipe received through the riser tube. A clamp compresses the seal about both the riser tube and fill pipe. A liquid impermeable cover is provided which covers the access opening in the top of the spill tank. A first basin surrounds the cover for channeling precipitation, and other liquids impinging the cover, away from the spill tank. A valve is disposed on the fill pipe for selectively directing liquids discharged into the spill tank into the storage tank. A second basin surrounds the spill tank for recovering liquids discharged from the spill tank during a filling operation.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,762,440 ('440 patent) and U.S. Pat. No. 4,842,443 ('443 patent), both of which issued to Argandona, disclose certain Spill Containment Device(s). The '440 and '443 patents teach spill containment devices for the fill tube of a liquid storage tank, particularly an underground, liquid storage tank. The containment devices each have a spill container with a bottom opening for receiving the tank fill tube in liquid sealing relation to the container wall and a top opening through which the fill tube is accessible for filling the tank, whereby the container contains any liquid spill during filling of the tank. The container top openings are closed by removable covers which cooperate with a water drain arrangement to vent liquid vapor from the containers while preventing rain and other ground surface water from entering the containers. A drain valve operable from a position adjacent each container top opening is provided for draining liquid spill from the respective container to the tank. One embodiment is designed to receive multiple tank fill tubes and has a surrounding casing with a relatively massive top end closure having openings closed by separate relatively small covers which are individually removable to access the different tank fill tubes.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,058,633 ('633 patent), which issued to Sharp, discloses a Containment Assembly for Fill Pipe of Underground Storage Tanks. The '633 patent teaches an assembly intended for use on underground storage tanks. The assembly provides ready access to a fill pipe from ground level. At the same time the assembly serves as a spill containment means for accidental spillage and a secondary containment means for the fill pipe. The assembly of the invention comprises a secondary containment chamber having a sidewall with means for attaching to the storage tank. An anchor ring which is attached to an upper open end of the containment chamber acts as a permanent ground base for the assembly. A bridging surface cover within the anchor ring has a removable lid positioned in its interior portion to gain access to the chamber's interior for a filling operation. The assembly also comprises a fill pipe for delivering liquid to the storage tank. The fill pipe is positioned within the secondary containment chamber with a discharging end extending through the chamber's bottom and a receiving end terminating within the chamber but near the bridging surface cover. An open top spill compartment is positioned within the secondary containment chamber and at the receiving end of the fill pipe so as to encompass the fill pipe's receiving end for the purpose of catching any spilled liquid from the filling operation. The spill compartment also prevents any of the spilled liquid and vapors from entering the secondary containment chamber.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,222,832 ('832 patent), which issued to Sunderhaus et al., discloses Spill Containment Devices and Their Installation. The '832 patent teaches a below grade, spill containment device for connection with the riser pipe of an underground fuel storage tank. The containment device is disposed within and isolated from a manhole, which is mounted in a concrete apron. The containment device comprises a compositely formed container, rigidly mounted on the riser pipe. The container formed of structural synthetic resin material elements held in assembled relation by snap fitted lugs and notches. A lid, for closing the upper, access opening, is mounted on a pivotable arm. A lever pivoted on the arm selectively engages latch means to lock the lid in a closed position. A projection on the lever prevents the manhole cover from seating if the lever is not in its lock position. A valve for draining fuel from the container to the riser pipe is closed when the lid is open and opened when the lid is closed. The manhole and the containment device are packaged in a shipping carton in spaced relation be corrugated paper sheets. These sheets are employed in obtaining a desired relation between the containment device and manhole in the installation of these components, which involve pouring a concrete apron around the upper end of the manhole. An alternative system employs adjusting nuts to obtain this relationship between the manhole and containment device. In one embodiment the manhole is compositely formed to permit relative movement between its upper and lower portions, after installation.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,655,418 ('418 patent), which issued to McGill et al., discloses a Drop Tube Seal for Petroleum Underground Storage Tanks. The '418 patent teaches a drop tube sealing assembly. The assembly may contain a riser pipe having a proximal end with internal threads and an underground storage tank spaced apart from the proximate end of the riser pipe. The storage tank may contain a threaded inlet which is positioned atop the tank. A pipe nipple may include a first end in cooperation with the proximal end, an opposite end in cooperation with the threaded inlet, and an annular inner surface that forms a conduit. The inner surface may comprise a female thread section. A drop tube adapter fitting may be concentrically disposed within the pipe nipple. The adapter fitting may contain an outer surface containing external threads in cooperation with the female thread section. A seal in the form of an O-ring may be disposed between the adapter fitting and the pipe nipple. A drop tube having an open end may be coupled to the adapter fitting.
It will be seen from a further review of the above-referenced patents and other prior art generally known to exist relating to underground storage tank spillage containment systems, that the prior art does not teach a secondary spillage containment system comprising a double-walled manhole skirt assembly in combination with a secondary spillage containment assembly as concentrically situated about primary spillage containment and tank-accessing means. Further, the prior art does not teach a matter isolation kit installable upon an underground storage tank assembly comprising a tank access conduit (peripherally encased by primary spillage containment) for secondarily containing spillage, for sealing the secondary containment, and for isolating the various containment or isolating structures from foreign matter coming into contact with the outfitted underground storage tank assembly. The prior art thus perceives a need for a matter isolation system and kit comprising a double-walled manhole skirt assembly in combination with a secondary spillage containment assembly installable in radial adjacency to the longitudinal axis of certain primary spillage containment and tank-accessing means, which system and kit function to secondarily contain spillage, selectively seal secondary containment from outside influence, and isolate the primary and secondary containment systems from foreign matter coming into contact with an outfitted underground storage tank assembly.